Motor control system



MOTOR CONTROL SYSTEM Filed May 20, 1956 g i INVENTOR.

)W'fz'am 12,7, BY

ATTORNEYS.

Patented May 2, 1939 UNITED STATES- MOTOR- OONTBOL SYSTEM William in Perry, Columbus, Ind.,

assignor to Reeves Pulley Company, Columbus, hit, a colporation of Indiana Application May 20, 1936, Serial No. 80,653

8Ciaims.

The present application relates to means for maintaining the current demand of a loaded motor substantially constant. More particularly, the invention is directed toward means for so 6 controlling the rate of delivery of material to a machine driven by s an electric motor as to maintain the load upon the motor substantially constant.

A primary object of the invention is to provide 10 mechanism, responsive to variations in the rate of current flow in the energizing circuit of a driving motor to control the'rate of delivery of material to a machine driven by the motor, in such a manner as to maintain the load impressed 15 upon the motor substantially constant. More particularly, it is an object of the invention to control, automatically, the delivery of material to be pulverized to a pulverizing machine in such a manner as to maintain the current demand 30 of a motor or motors driving said pulverizing machine, substantially constant.

Further objects of the invention will appear as the description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the above and re- 25 lated objects, my invention may be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawing, attention being called to the fact, however, that the drawing is illustrative only, and that change may be made in the specific construction 30 illustrated and described, so long as the scope of the appended claims is not violated.

The single figure is a diagrammatic view of an embodiment of my invention.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, it 85 will be seen that I have shown a pulverizer 30 of the type comprising two oppositely rotating grinder discs, one driven by an electric motor 3| driving a shaft 32 and the other driven by. a motor 33 driving a shaft 34.

. an I have indicated a source of current as line wiresv 35, 38, and 31, entering the organization through a conventional fuse disconnect switch 33 and a starting switch 33. In such an organization, there is customarily provided a reversing 45 switch 40 operable manually to reverse both motors 3| and 33. Wires ll, 45, and 45 connect with the leads 35, 33, and 3'! beyond the motor starter, and lead through a disconnect switch 41 and a second motor starting switch 48 to a motor 50 43 to provide an energizing circuit therefor. Said motor 49 drives, through a belt, or other suitable driving means, the constant speed shaft of a variable speed transmission 52 which may preferably be of the well known "Reeves type. The 56 variable speed shaft 53 of said transmissi n drives, through a chain 54 or other suitable driving means, one roll 55 of a conveyor 58. The speed ratio between the shafts 5| and 53 is controllable by operation of a screw shaft 51 which is driven, through a friction clutch (not shown) 6 and a belt 58 or other suitable driving means, by a pilot motor 59.

The conveyor 53 is so positioned and operated as to supply material to be pulverized to the pulverizer 30; and it will be obvious that an increase in the speed of operation of the conveyor will increase the rate of material supply to the pulverizer, and a decrease in the speed of operation of the conveyor will decrease the rate of such supply. It is, broadly, the function of the illustrated organization to reduce the speed of the conveyor when the load upon the motors 3| and .33 increases beyond an optimum maxi-. mum; and to increase the speed of the conveyor when the load upon the motors falls below an optimum minimum. It will be obvious that the motor 49 which drives the feeding mechanism cannot operate unless the disconnect switch 38 and the motor starter switch 39 are closed to energize the motors 3| and 33; To operate the disclosed organization, the

switches 38 and 39 are closed by the operator.

Since the switch 40 is always closed, in one position or the other, closure of the switches 38 and 39 will energize the motors Hand 33 to drive the discs of the pulverizer 30.

Immediately upon closure of the switch 39, there will be a surge of current through the energizing circuits for the motors 3| and 33, and thereby through the primary coil 50 of the current transformer 5|. A relatively high voltage will be developed at secondary coil 62 of said transformer. If such a voltage were impressed upon the system here ter to. be described, it would have a damaging effect thereon; and con- .40 sequently I provide wires 63 and 64 leading to terminals 35 and 63 of a normally closed switch 61, thereby short circuiting the said secondary coil 52.

when the motors 3| and 33 have attained normal speed, the voltage developed in the secondary coil 62 will drop to a relatively low value. Thereupon, the button 68 is depressed to connect contact points 59 and Into close motor starting switch 48, which will be held closed thereafter through the conventional lock-in circuit. Thereby, the motor 49 will be energized to drive the conveyor roll 55.

Closure of the switch 48 causes current to flow through wires II and 12 and wires 13 and I4 to the operating coil 15 for the switch 61, to open said switch 51. the voltage developed in the secondary 62 of the transformer GI to be impressed upon the resistor 15 and the coil of a normally closed delayedopening relay switch 11 bridging contacts connected to the posts 18 and 18. Thus current flows from the winding 52 through wire 63, terminal 85, wire 80, resistor 16, wire 8I, coil of switch 11, wire 82, terminal 68, and wire 54 to winding 82. The normal intensity of current flowing, in such circuit, through the coil of switch 11 is insufllcient to open the switch which bridges the contacts connected with posts 18 and 18; but an undue intensity of current flowing through said coil will tend to open the switch bridging said contacts to break the lock-in circuit for the switch 48, which includes the wires The switch 11 being a delayed-action switch, however, the energizing circuit for the motor 49 is not thus broken as a result of a mere momentary surge in the circuit including the coil of the switch 11.

Current flowing through the resistor the development of 15 causes a voltage across said resistor, which voltage is impressed upon the input of a dry metallic disc rectifier 85. The wires 1I and 12 also supply current to a transformer 86,

and current of reduced voltage therefore flows from the secondary winding of said transformer through wires 81 and 88 to and through the primaries of two transformers 88 and 80. The secondary voltage of the. transformer 90 is impressed upon a dry metallic disc rectifier 8|, and the secondary voltage of the transformer 88 is impressed upon a dry metallic disc rectifier 92.

The positive terminal of the rectifier 85 is connected, by a wire 83, to one terminal 84 of a potentiometer coil 85, the other terminal 85 of said coil 85 being connected, by a wire 81, to the negative terminal of the rectifier 8|. The negative terminal of the rectifier 85 and the positive terminal of the rectifier 8| are directly connected by a wire 88 which, in turn, is connected by a wire 88 and wire I to one end of a resistor IOI, the opposite end of which is connected by a wire I02 to one end of a resistor I03,'the opposite end .of which is connected by a wire I04 the moving coil I05 of a permanent magnet type of galvanometer. The other end of said coil I05 is connected by a wire I08 to a wire I01 which leads to a terminal I08 connected to the arm I08 which sweeps the potentiometer coil 85.

Since the input to the rectifier 8| is of constant voltage, and since the input to the rectifier 85 is of variable voltage, depending upon the demands of the motors 3I and 33, the position of the galvanometer coil I05 will be varied by variations in the demands of the motors 3| and 33.- v The galvanometer coil I05 mechanically carries the usual needle I I0 which, when it is swung from a neutral position, is adapted to make contact alternatively with contact points II I and H2.

The wire H3, which is connected to the positive terminal of the rectifier 02, leads to the wire 082 which is connected to resistors ifii and i He leads from the resistor 383130 one end, oi a coil 5 which, at its opposite end, is connected to the contact point iii. Wire 1% connects the resistor 30! with one end oia coil ii the opposite end of which is connected to the contact point H2. A wire H1 connects the negative terminal of the rectifier 92 with thegalvanometer needie II 'I'iius, when the galvanometer needle M8 is turned to make contact with the contact point Opening of the. switch 61 allows to one end of 7 Wire III, the coil II5 will be energized; and when said needle is turned to make contact with the contact point II2, the coil II6 will be energized.

An increase in the current demand of the motors 3| and 33 will increase the voltage developed in the secondary 82 of transformer 8 I, and so will increase the voltage impressed upon the rectifier 85, thus increasing the output voltage of said rectifier. Assuming that, before such increase, the organization has been in balanced operation, such increase in the output voltage of the rectifier 85 will cause a current flow through the coil I05 in such a direction as to swing the galvanometer needle 0 into contact with the contact point III; thus energizing the coil II5. Such energization of the coil II5 will shift contact. element II8 out of contact with element H9 and into contact with element I20, thus closing an energizing circuit for the motor 58 which may be traced as follows: from transformer 86, through wire 81, wire I2I, wire I22, contact element I23, contact element element I I8, contact element 58, common lead I21, and wire 88 to the transformer 85. Energization of the motor 59 through the above-traced circuit will cause operation of said motor in such a direction as to decrease the speed of the output shaft 53 of the transmission 52.

Conversely, when a decrease in the current demand of the motors 3| and 33 causes a decrease in the output voltage of the transformer 82, the output voltage of the rectifier 85 will be decreased, so that the output voltage of the rectifier 8| will exceed the output voltage of the rectifier 85, and a current will flow through the coil I05 in such a direction as to swing the galvanometer needle I I0 into contact with the contact point I I2, to energize the coil II8. Energization of the coil III; will shift the contact element I24 into contact with element I28 to close a circuit which may be' traced as follows: From transformer 85 through wire 81, contact II8, wire I25, contact I24, contact I28, wire I30, motor 58, common wire I21, and wire 88 to transformer 88. Energization of the motor 58 through the last-traced circuit will cause operation of the motor in the opposite direction to reduce the speed of the output shaft 53 of the transmission 52.

A continuation of the wire leads from its Junction with the wire I00 to terminal I3I of a rheostat comprising a contact arm I32 connected electrically to said terminal I3I, and a coil I33 adapted to be swept by said arm and connected at one end to a terminal I34. Said terminal I34 is connected, by a wire I35, to the junction between wires I08 and I01.

As has been said, the positive terminal of the rectifier 85 is connected to one end 84 of the potentiometer coil 95; the negative terminal of the rectifier Si is connected to the oppcsite'end 86 of said coil; and the arm 889 is connected to one end of the galvanometer coil M95, while the opposite end. of said galvanometer coil is connected to the wire which joins electrically the nega- I24, wire I25, contact I20, wire I28, motor wire I2I, wirel28, contact 8,.

tive terminal rectifier and the positive tcrminal of rectifier 9i. Thus, the constant direct current voltage developed by the rectifier $38 is impressed upon-the coil M35 in bucking relation to the'variable voltage developed by the rectifier 3'5. The output speed of the transmission 52, therefore, bears a direct and constant ratio to a factor which is determined by the relation between the magnitude of the voltage developed by the rectifier ii and the magnitude of the voltage developed by the rectifier "1 Because of the presence in the organization of the potentiometer coil 05, that factor may be changed. That is, the actual output speed of the transmission for any given current demand of the motors SI and 33 may be varied by adJustment 'of the potentiometer'arm I. That is, if the may be varied by adjustment of the wiper arm "2.

Thus, clockwise movement of said arm illwill decrease the resistance in shunt with the coil ill! to decrease the degree of movement of said coil and the needle H0 in response to a unit change in the'lntensity of the current flowing through the primary winding 60 of the transformer OI. i

I claim as my invention:

1. The method of controlling the current demand of a motor driving a machine for operating on material, which comprises the steps of controlling the rate of feed of such material to such machine, in response to variations in the current intensityin the energizing circuit for said motor by generating a direct-current voltage directly proportional, at all times, to the momentary current intensity in said energizing circuit, generating a direct current voltage of constant magnitude and opposite polarity, and utilizing said variable voltage and said opposite constant voltage in bucking relationship to vary such feed rate in opposite directions in response to opposite differentials between said voltages.

2. In combination with a machine for operating upon a material, an alternating-current electric motor for driving said machine,.an energizing circuit for said motor, and a conveyor for feeding material to said machine, a variable speed transmission connected to drive said conveyor and including an element oppositely shiftable to vary oppositely the output speed of said transmission, a reversible altemating-current electric motor connected to shift said element, energizing circuits for said reversible motor, a voltage transformer having its primary connected in said first-mentioned circuit and having its secondary connected to impress its voltage upon a dry metallic disc type rectifier, a second transformer having its primary supplied by a current source of constant voltage and having its secondary connected to impress its voltage upon a second dry metallic di'sc type rectifier, a gaivanometer having a moving coil, a common wire connected to the positive terminal of said second rectifier and the negative terminal of said first rectifier, means connecting the positive terminal of said first rectifier and the negative terminal of said second rectifier, through opposite ends of a potentiometer coil, to one end ofsaid galvanometer coil, means connecting the opposite end of said galvanometer coil with said common wire, a third transformer connected to impress its secondary voltage upon a third dry metallic disc type rectifier, two circuits, each including said third-rectifier,- the needle of said galvanometer, a contact associated with one end of said needle, and a magnet coil, and a switch associated with each of said magnet coils, each adapted to be closed byenergization of its associated magnet coils, each of said switches being connected in one of the energizing circuits for said reversible motor.

3. In combination, a machine to be fed, an electric motor connected to drive said machine, an energizing circuit for said motor, means for feeding material to said machine, a variable speed transmission connected to drive said feeding means, and including an element shiftable in opposite directions to vary oppositely the output speed of said transmission, and automatic means for shifting said element including a reversible electric motor, a source of constant-voltage ourfeeding material to said machine, a variablespeed transmission connected to drive said feeding means, and including an element shift/able in opposite directions to vary oppositely the output speed of said transmission, and automatic means for shifting said element including a reversible electric motor, a source of constant-voltage current, a source of current of a voltage variable in response to current-demands ,of said first,- mentioned motor, and switch means shiftable in response to opposite-differentials between saidvoltages to energize said reversible motor oppositely, a switch connected in said first-named energizing circuit, electrical means tending, upon excessive overload of said circuit, to open said switch, and means for delaying movement of said switch to prevent opening thereof as a result of a mere momentary surge.

5. In combination, a machine to be fed, an electric motor connected to drive said machine, an energizing circuit for said motor, means for rent, a source of current of a voltage variable v feeding material to said machine, independent variable-speed drive means for driving said feeding means, an electric circuit for energizing said independent drive means, a'switch connected in said motor circuit and in said independent drive means energizing circuit, whereby energization of the latter while the former is deenergized is rendered impossible, and a separate switch in the drive meansenergizing circuit operable, when said first-mentioned switch is closed, to close said independent drive means circuit.

6. In combination, an electric motor, an energizing circuit therefor, a variable-speed 'transmission, means for driving said transmission, a reversible electric motor operable to vary the output speed of said transmission, energizing circuits for said reversible motor alternatively op-. erable to drive said reversible motor in opposite directions, control means for said last-named circuits dominated bythe intensity of current flow in said first-named circuit, and means opermission, means for driving said transmission, a reversible electric motor operable to vary the output speed of said transmission, separate circuits for alternatively energizing said reversible motor to operate in opposite directions, switch means connected in said last-named circuits, and electrically actuated means for operating said switch means, a source of current variable in response to the current intensity in said first-named circuit impressed upon said electrically actuated means, a constant source of current oppositely impressed upon said electrically actuated means, and manually operable means for varying the efiect of one of said current sources upon said electrically actuated means. l

8. In combination, an electric motor, anenergizing circuit therefor, a variable-speed transmission, means for driving said transmission, a reversible electric motor operable to vary the output speed of said transmission, separate circuits for alternatively energizing said reversible motor, to operate in opposite directions, switch means connected in said last-named circuits, and electrically actuated means for operating said switch means, a source of current variable in response to the current intensity in said first-. named circuit impressed upon said electrically actuated means, a constant source of current oppositely impressed upon said electrically actuated means, and a rheostat connected between one of said current sources and said electrically actuated means.

WILLIAM R. PERRY. 

